Comets, Asteroids, & Meteors

Front

What is a comet?

Back

A comet is made of ice, rock, and dust.

Front

What is an asteroid?

Back

An asteroid is a LARGE chunk of rock and metal.

Front

What is the difference between meteoroids, meteors, and meteorites?

Back

Meteoroids are small rocky or metallic bodies in space, meteors are meteoroids that burn up in the atmosphere, and meteorites are meteors that reach the Earth's surface.

Front

Where is the Asteroid Belt located?

Back

The Asteroid Belt is located between Mars and Jupiter.

Front

True or False: A comet's tail points AWAY from the Sun?

Back

True.

Front

What are meteoroids primarily made of?

Back

Meteoroids are primarily made of rock and debris from space.

Front

What happens to a meteoroid when it enters the Earth's atmosphere?

Back

It becomes a meteor and burns up, often creating a bright streak of light.

Front

What is the Kuiper Belt?

Back

The Kuiper Belt is a region of the solar system beyond Neptune that contains many small icy bodies, including some comets.

Front

What is the Oort Cloud?

Back

The Oort Cloud is a theoretical cloud of icy bodies that is believed to surround the solar system at a great distance.

Front

What is the nucleus of a comet?

Back

The nucleus of a comet is the solid core made of ice and dust.